Warning plan for smokers under fire

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The Federal Government plans to adopt the tobacco industry's preferred option for graphic health warnings on cigarette packs, prompting an outcry from anti-smoking groups.

The Age understands the Government will force manufacturers to put the warnings, which include grisly pictures of diseased body parts, on 30 per cent of the front and 90 per cent of the back of cigarette packs.

This was the option pushed by tobacco companies, which said the alternative - warnings covering half the front and half the back - would infringe their trademark rights by squashing their brand names on the front.

However, health and anti-smoking groups fought vigorously for the 50/50 option, arguing that research showed the bigger warning on the front was crucial in punching the health message through.

Prominent anti-smoking groups yesterday accused the Government of bowing to tobacco industry lobbying and raised questions about political donations to the Government.

Cabinet is yet to approve any decision but it is believed Parliamentary Secretary for Health Trish Worth will recommend the 30/90 option.

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She has begun drafting regulations, which are expected to go to Parliament next month.

Yesterday, Ms Worth told The Age the Government had not made a final decision, but she defended the 30/90 option.

"Every time someone takes a cigarette out of a pack, they will see the warnings," she said. "I think this is a very, very powerful message."

She denied bowing to pressure from the industry, but said the Government accepted that bigger warnings on the front would interfere with brand recognition. "There is a certain percentage of people who do smoke and want to be able to recognise their product," she said. Ms Worth said if she had her way, cigarettes would be banned altogether.

Quit Victoria executive director Todd Harper said the decision was "extremely puzzling" and disappointing. "The tobacco industry have got what they wanted," he said.

Mr Harper was also angry that the industry will have 18 months to adopt the changes, after claiming it could not meet the original 12-month target.

In those 18 months, 43,000 Australian children would become regular smokers, Mr Harper said.

Research cited by Quit showed cigarette packs were always displayed front-forward in shops and invariably placed front up by smokers on horizontal surfaces such as tables.

Australian Council on Smoking and Health executive director Stephen Hall said: "People don't look at the back of the pack. The impact is on the front."

The health warnings on the back of a pack

Mr Hall also questioned the influence of the tobacco industry.

A former chief of staff to Prime Minister John Howard, Grahame Morris, lobbied for British American Tobacco Australia on the issue.

Australian Medical Association vice-president Mukesh Haikerwal said the Government was "missing in action on tobacco prevention".

In 2002-03, British American Tobacco gave $114,200 to the Liberal Party and $26,150 to the Labor Party. Philip Morris donated $74,365 to the Liberals, $72,720 to Labor and $30,500 to the Nationals.

Labor Leader Mark Latham has since stopped his party accepting donations from tobacco companies.